Various apparatus have been developed for drying wet garments, especially footwear and gloves. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,482 granted on Dec. 24, 1968 to the present inventor, Gene W. Peet. This device has been popular, especially with those who work outdoors in adverse weather. The drier makes use of electric resistance heating elements and thermo-convection induced air movement for even, uniform drying of boots, shoes and gloves. However, dependency on availability of electrical current impedes use of the driers. Those who must camp outdoors or stay for extended periods in areas without the benefit of a generator or other source of electrical current must often simply tolerate wet footwear. Efforts to dry a wet pair of leather boots by placing them next to a campfire often result in ruined boots. This is so since it is well known that boots and shoes should be dried from the inside out, and that overheating can damage the garments.
Thus, while drying efficiency is good especially in those driers using simple warm air convection currents (as provided by the boot and shoe drier cited above), a need has remained for a drier that will operate where no electrical current is available.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a garment drier that does not require connection to electrical current for effective operation.
A further object is to provide such a drier that makes use of convection air currents for drying purposes.
A still further object is to provide such a drier that may be used with a conventional combustible gas such as propane that is readily available in pressurized tanks.
The above and still further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description which, taken with the appended drawings and claims, describe the best mode for carrying out the invention.